'Fighting a fire with fire doesn’t work'
Keynote speaker Diana Patton discusses the importance of nonviolence
Keynote speaker Diana Patton presents her views on incoming politics and ways to cope at the Central Michigan University French Auditorium, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. "I love telling people the truth. I am a truth slayer. I love doing the truth and I like speaking the truth," Patton said. (CM-Life | Zoey Morse)
Central Michigan University’s French Auditorium was filled Wednesday night as students and staff listened to author, entrepreneur and civil rights attorney Diana Patton discuss the importance of nonviolence.
Patton is one of the speakers the university has had throughout the week in honor of the Civil Rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
She opened her speech by sharing her disappointment about President Donald Trump’s recent decision to remove diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs from federal offices, and his pardoning of those convicted on charges related to the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Central Michigan University students wait for keynote speaker Diana Patton to appear at the Central Michigan University French Auditorium, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. The auditorium was so full that students were sitting on the floor, in aisle ways and leaning against the walls. (CM-Life | Zoey Morse)
She later said she has been preparing for moments like this, and advised students to do the same.
“This encroachment upon freedom, democracy and justice is nothing new,” Patton said. “This has gone through history and we always know the pendulum can swing.”
Patton is the founder of Rise Advocates Academy; Rise with Diana Consultancy; All Rise Live Global Summit; and the podcast “Rise with Diana.” These businesses work to advocate and share advice for women in corporate careers.
Throughout the speech, Patton shared personal stories of her upbringing with an abusive father and how that later affected her as an adult.
“This fire that was inside of me was going to take me out because I was so angry,” Patton said. “I was so mad at everything that was going on. No one was protecting me. Nobody was protecting our family. … I wanted to go out, get a degree and fight for justice."
She said she later found this angry approach to life to be unhealthy. Patton told the audience that MLK would ask individuals not to fight back with anger.
“Martin Luther King was asking people whose kids were being lynched, asking mothers, ‘don’t fight back. That’s not going to get you far,’” Patton said. “And my philosophy, I was fighting. Martin Luther King knew ... that fighting a fire with fire doesn’t work.”
Patton quizzed audience members on the meaning of love and nonviolence and shared some of her company’s methodologies on how to improve a mindset.
Graduate student Malcolm Vincent said Patton’s speech was inspiring.
“It was a great way of promoting how we make change in a peaceful way, and I think it all starts with ourselves,” Vincent said.
Freshman Ava Garcia also thought the speech was inspiring and that it was good to hear, considering everything going on in the world.
“I feel like a lot of times we’re seeing a lot more violence in the world and a lot of people want their voices heard,” Garcia said. "Use your voice in a more loving way. We can put out the fire. I thought it was very inspirational to hear.”
CMU is schedule do finish its commemorative week in honor of MLK with a charity basketball game at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 29. The game will be held at the Student Activity Center.
